At first I sat my mask near by so that I could put it back on when I felt the anxiety or fear sneaking back to attack me. Then as the days went by, I put it on a shelf in my closet so that it was out of reach. (I think I should share here that I am five feet tall so most closet shelves are completely out of reach.)

Then today after several months and many, many empowering conversations shared with inspiring people in my life and many conversations shared in my head with myself, I threw the mask away. Literally. And I feel no panic.

I have released all the thoughts in my life of 'what if'. I have released all the noise in my mind from what others say to me and about me. I have released the noise from those manipulators.

I am naked before you. Yup, this is the hardest thing I have ever done. This is the first time I have put myself in front of my fears, speaking out loud and am walking with a purpose.

It is such a feeling of freedom, I can see with clarity. It is like I am walking on a new path and chopping off every single dead branch that can no longer reach out at me. (Always walking because running sounds, well exhausting.)

This blog has been born, because I have been searching for a way to share with you options for ourselves and our furry best friends. It has been born from wanting you to know we can do things differently then what we are told by society to do.

When we want to eat that cookie and our dog wants one too, it is knowing that together we can resist the temptations.

This blog is knowledge that we are not alone in this world and that others all around us want to join us! This is just day one and I feel a community growing right now!

You are the person I am speaking to. Come on, admit it, you want to throw that damn mask away, do a freedom dance and live outside the box!